Open Enrollment Period for Child-Only Health Policies Begins July 1

Child-Only Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period July 1 to August 14

During this time, children with health conditions will not be denied enrollment

One of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act required that children be allowed to be added to their parent’s coverage without health questions. By extension, this meant that children under 19 who applied for “child-only” health plans were able to be enrolled in spite of an existing health problem.

An open enrollment period was established that will, on an annual basis, allow minor children the access to such plans. The first of these open enrollments will occur in Iowa from July 1 to August 14.

Enrollment will be accomplished through licensed insurance agents or directly from companies. One of the requirements imposed on companies under this agreement was that the companies must conspicuously display the open enrollment information for their company on the company web site. Consumers who may be interested in obtaining a child-only coveraqe are encouraged to visit the web sites of major insurers for more information, or to contact an insurance producer who is licensed to sell health insurance.

Even though insurers are prohibited from declining to cover any applicant for such a plan offered by the company, the law does not prohibit the insurers from pricing their product based on the health of the applicant.

Consumers with questions about the Open Enrollment period who have been unable to get their questions answered through agents or companies are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division's toll-free line: 877-955-1212.